IMPACTASSETS 50™
An Annual Showcase of Impact Investment Fund Managers
ImpactAssets 50
An Annual Showcase of Impact Investment Fund Managers
1863 Ventures
Demographic-based Impact
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Financial and Economic InclusionFirm Overview
1863 Venture Fund I is an investment fund providing early-stage capital for New Majority entrepreneurs, better known as individuals who have been historically disinvested and prevented from accessing capital. Our firm is the investment arm of 1863 Ventures, a business accelerator nonprofit committed to generating $100 billion in new wealth by and for New Majority Entrepreneurs. As an extension of the non-profit 1863 Venture Fund I leverages Black, Brown, and women entrepreneurs through its business accelerator programming to provide risk-mitigated investments through revenue-based financing and equity capital. The success and impact derived from Fund I led to the District of Columbia selecting 1863 Ventures as its General Partner for the Inclusive Impact Equity Innovation Fund, which focuses on supporting historically marginalized founders in the nation's capital.
Years of Operation: 3 – 4 years
% of Capital from Top 3 Investors: 50% – 99%
The 1863 Fund believes that by providing appropriately aligned capital to New Majority entrepreneurs, who have been historically excluded from accessing capital, we can support individual, enterprise, and community wealth creation while generating untapped growth for the economy.
Our research shows that it costs at least $250k more for an entrepreneur of color to start the same business as their white peer. We know founders of color have a survival rate of at least 8.5 years. Even with this data, entrepreneurs of color receive less than 1% of VC funding and pay at least 1.5%+ more in debt servicing costs than their white peers. This lack of access to capital causes hardship to the economy as New Majority entrepreneurs contribute significantly to the economic vitality of their communities. The 1863 Venture Fund I believes that by providing appropriately aligned capital we can support individual, enterprise, and community wealth creation while generating untapped economic growth. To achieve this, the Fund leverages diverse investment instruments - from debt to equity to revenue-based financing - to expand access for New Majority entrepreneurs to a coherent and accessible investment continuum.
1863 is unique in six ways: 1. We focus on execution and outcomes and not pitching and optics. 2. We are one of the only that offers rigorous finance and sales training. 3. We are one of only 12% of the programs in the country focused on growing and scaling businesses and not just startups 4. We are one of the few that is entirely run by experienced entrepreneurs. 5. We are sector agnostic and take all types of companies including tech, CPG, B2B, etc. 6. Our team is comprised 100% of members of the new majority.
Investment Example
Lingo was founded to eliminate barriers to entry for students underexposed to STEM opportunities. LINGO was created by a former NASA Rocket Scientist, Aisha Bowe, who we helped become a part of the Blue Origin trip to space in 2024. Our investment has helped the company expand its products into schools, Target, and corporations. Freeing Returns is an enterprise SaaS solution that leverages retail data from point-of-sale systems, receiving (inbound and outbound), and inventory management, including pricing and promotions, for loss prevention. Our investment in Barbara led to a follow-on investment from Serena Williams Ventures. Freeing Returns was named Minority Technology Firm of the Year by the Department of Commerce in 2022. Mentor Method is a mentor-matching platform designed to assist organizations in assigning the best mentors for their employees. Mentor Method was acquired by The Cru in 2022.
Leadership and Team
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Melissa Bradley – General Partner More Info
Melissa L. Bradley serves as a General Partner of 1863 Venture Fund I and Inclusive Innovation Equity Impact Fund. She is a board member of Ureeka, a small business platform company she co-founded and sold, and Eat the Change. She is also a member of the Milken Institute DEI in Asset Management Initiative, Goldman Sachs’ 1M Black Women Advisory Council, Launch with GS Advisory Council, and Fast Company Executive Board. Melissa is the former Co-Chair and current National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship member. Melissa is a Professor of Practice at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Over the last two years, she was commended with the Entrepreneurship Faculty Excellence Award, the Joseph F. LeMoine Award for Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching Excellence, the Peter W. Gonzalez, Jr. Award for Excellence in Adjunct Faculty Teaching, and The Ideas Worth Teaching Award. |
Financial Performance
Impact Performance
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Percentage of Total Assets Under
Management that are Impact Investments: |
100%
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During our sourcing and review process, we ask for and verify ownership and seek business plans for wealth creation and a sustainable environment. We review all companies every quarter and implement an annual survey to track progress and areas of support needed.
We solicit team and job creation data during diligence and quarterly and annually after that.
Impact Tracking and Monitoring
Learn More
1100 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 USA
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